We got asked last WEEK!...to do an hour at a Christian youth festival Wednesday night (day after tomorrow). We're doing a 16 song set of contemporary upbeat christian stuff...12 of which I never even heard until last Friday. I'm taking a break from practicing these songs to type this. Yikes, full of sus chords, #m7's and 2nd chords etc... and wierd changes and verse/br/chorus combinations just to complicate things. I could sure use a dose of some straight blues right now. I can't wait to do it, but at the same time I'll be glad when it's over!

Nope not gospel music. Contemporary Christian music is much the same as Top 40 or pop music with Christian lyrics. Today's Christian music runs from Top 40 to Heavy Metal. Anyone remember Stryper from the 80's they were a Christian heavy metal band? I personally don't care much for it if I were going to play Christian music it would be tradional gospel because it is more blues and soul based. Don't care much for the new stuff as its got funky chords and keys that I'm not used to playing in or care to learn.

I really can't answer what style it is, and I've never heard the original versions of what were gonna play. Our lead guitarist got the songs, and we went over them last Friday...funky chords, fast tempo, wierd changes is how I would describe it. I'm just gonna play my best...I will admit, it's some pretty high energy stuff...so we'll see what happens. I definately remember Stryper and the christian heavy metal rock stuff...never really got into it.

I hear ya on the gospel music and I LOVE it...the new stuff aint anything like good old gospel...however, we did add a couple good bluegrassy gospel songs into the mix

Good for ya',Onefer! Learnin' new music'll be good for ya'. I played a buncha church things (camps,banquets,youth rallies,etc.) with a Christian Blues band in college,and that's when I learned a buncha Rev.Gary Davis tunes. People recognized alot of them,and we did other "spirituals" and bluesed up a buncha gospel tunes. It was fun music. The contemporary Christian stuff is a whole nother ball of wax though.

I have been mistaken for "Christian" music a few times - which always confuses me.

Some very nice black "Church Ladies" seemed to have the impression that my CD's title - "Please and Thank You" - only made sense in a Christian praise context.

And a few years ago, someone who saw me playing hired me for a 40th Birthday party for a large and very Evangelical family... the birthday boy was a substance abuse counsellor and a big Blues fan, the food was great, and no one ultimately noticed that my music gets quite SPIRITUAL - but stays pretty non-denominational.

There are many reasons for doing this type of music, the primary reason is to give praise to God.

That being said, Dean ( Banjo/Dobro player for "Not Worthy") is right about it being difficult music to play. For me, as a bass player, it requires me to mix scales( major and minor) within the same song, change keys sometimes within the same song, and play a more melodic bass line.

I would rather do the old gospel songs and blues them up as we have a tendency to do, but I have to admit, playing this type of music makes me a better musician and expands my abilities by a considerable amount.
It also is specific for our audience. Sometimes, you just have to play what your audience is into. It's not like you are sacrificing your artistic integrity or anything, more a case of learning more stuff and still having fun doing it.

I will remain true to my blues roots, but I will never miss a chance to learn, get better or have fun with music.

Tim ( Bass Player for "Not Worthy" )

P.S. By the way, I am in the middle of a panic attack trying to learn all this stuff by tomorrow night!!!

Well,Dan and LoriLu, you both seem to be very spiritual to me,and LoriLu,you certainly are a very giving and supporting person,while Dan has always been supportive of the people on this forum. It's not my business to point a finger at non-religious people: I've got my own battles maintaining my own personal integrity,and I've got a long way to go there. I do love gospel music,and old spiritual songs,and hollers.

I'm a Christian, but not a fan of Contemporary Christian Music. I tune in the CCM station now and then on the radio, but can't stay there as it seems very musically bland to me. I like the message, but not the music. I'm not a fan of modern choral music, either. The currently popular trend among arrangers is to put the men singing up in the teenage girl register, which is hard for an old bass singer like me.

One of my problems with the way contemporary worship music is presented is that they jus' put the lyrics up on the screen,with no music notation. I was raised with hymnbooks,or songbooks,and you could read the music. The way it is now,if you don't know the song,you're lost,so anybody in the congregation that can read music is not in a position to pitch in well. The overall quality of the congregational singing suffers. Other than that, contemporary worship music suffers from the same fault music in general has--alot of it just isn't very well written. Apparently,anybody can get worship music published,whether they've got any skills or not. I'm 55 yrs. old, so my theme song is "Gimme That Old Time Religion".